The Head of Quartzmon
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Ryouma isn't necessarily Quartzmon's first choice, but he'll do admirably.
1. Quartzmon I

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Data Forest Task. These drabbles are going to alternate between first and third POV, starting off with first. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Head of Quartzmon  
1\. Quartzmon I**

This boy will do, I think.

He's not especially remarkable, but he's here and he has the Xros Code as well and that's the important thing. I'd much rather have one of the legendary generals, but they won't be easy to reach. I need an intermediate. And, right now, I need someone who can work from the shadows without suspicion.

For a boy who isn't yet a general, who hasn't had any meaningful contact with the digimon at all, his Xros Code is fairly strong. He'll make a strong general if given the chance. Strong enough to catch me prey.


	2. Ryouma I

**The Head of Quartzmon  
2\. Ryouma I**

He's lost, and he wishes he wasn't. He wishes he could reach that world he can see, but not touch. That world that's just out of reach, that's there and somewhere he wants to be…except he, for whatever reason, can't.

And he doesn't know why he wants to be there either. Just that something is drawing him there: those kids like him he could just make out, shining like beacons of hope and heroism.

He wants to be like that. The sight fills him with…something powerful.

_If you want to be a hero, become a Hunter first._

_Okay_, he agrees.


	3. Quartzmon II

**The Head of Quartzmon  
3\. Quartzmon II**

He's not as strong as I'd hoped…though perhaps that is a good thing. He does not fight me. He does not even notice me. Or anything odd. It is as though I am his partner and though it is an infuriating position to be in, it is also safe.

No-one will discover me until it's too late.

And until then I can feed. He's strong enough for that. To catch me strong pray to feed off – and to circumvent attention. It will get out eventually, but meals are enjoyed in the quiet too.

And I need to build my strength.


	4. Ryouma II

**The Head of Quartzmon  
4\. Ryouma II**

He's a Hunter now and he's good at it, he thinks. He catches strong Digimon. It makes him happy. And it makes his partner happy too. They can both grow stronger.

He's not at Taiki's level yet and it will take time and an earth-shattering situation before he can even try and claim to be, but he's creeping closer to being that sort of person, that sort of hero, he thinks.

Until then, he can keep on getting stronger. Fighting and hunting stronger digimon. Creating a team like Xros Wars –

But for now it was just the two of them.


	5. Quartzmon III

**The Head of Quartzmon  
5\. Quartzmon III**

Friends – companions – are a foolishness but I'll entertain them. It will be too strange otherwise, and too…contradictory.

That's part of the problem with this arrangement. I need to bend to his whims. Make some allowances. Not bend everything to mine. Otherwise he will be nothing more than a doll and useless. Not strong enough to hide me. Not strong enough to feed me as I grow.

It's comforting to know that I'll be able to wash my hands of him – and off all these other foolish humans soon enough. And digimon. And worlds.

This foolish foolish world will eventually fall.


	6. Ryouma III

**The Head of Quartzmon  
6\. Ryouma III**

He finds some companions. Smart ones. Maybe good ones too. They easily fit in to his strategies. They help him catch strong Digimon. That's good enough so far – and maybe they are his friends as well.

He hasn't had too many close friends. Peers from school. People in clubs and things like that. This is sort of like another club.

Maybe though, they'll develop something stronger. Maybe _he'll_ develop something stronger by being with them. Something that Taiki has. That he doesn't quite yet.

Maybe he can find that important something that'll let him pass Taiki the next world battle.


	7. Quartzmon IV

**The Head of Quartzmon  
7\. Quartzmon IV**

The boy is starting to drift away.

It's the fault of those heroes. The ones who prophecy claims will defeat me.

They won't. I will make sure of that.

The irony is almost delicious, actually. The boy who looks up to the hero will destroy him.

I can't wait for that day. Then I'll be free of all of this. This patient waiting. This patient deceit.

I can't wait. But I must. I'm still not strong enough yet. Not fully grown. But I will be. Soon. After eating some more of _his_ prey…

Everything will change.

Everything will become…

Me.


	8. Ryouma IV

**The Head of Quartzmon  
8\. Ryouma IV**

Something is changing. Ryouma is sure of it.

It's not just that Taiki has appeared on the Hunter's scene. That he's battling against his hero – and also, his goal. It's not that he's found a rival as well, a boy with a similar goal. It's something…else. Something he can't quite grasp.

But he knows something is changing, and the gap between him and Taiki is changing too. Is it growing smaller? He hopes so. He wants it to grow smaller because that's what he's walking towards.

He can't be sure though. All he can be sure is that something's changing.


	9. Quartzmon V

**The Head of Quartzmon  
9\. Quartzmon V**

Almost.

The time to hatch and absorb the world is almost here.

Almost…but not quite.

It could have been, but that boy has been slack lately. Too close to the heroes. Too close to those other, naïve beings that don't recognise the futility of their own existence.

But he still catches me prey to feed off and I'm still feeding, and growing, and reaching my final stage without anyone else aware.

Or maybe that old man is aware and thinks he can stop me.

It's laughable. He knows he didn't give the boy a Xros Loader. But it doesn't matter.


	10. Ryouma V

**The Head of Quartzmon  
10\. Ryouma V**

Ryouma doesn't quite remember where he got his Xros Loader from, but it doesn't matter.

Airu and Ren got theirs from the Old Clock Man. Tagiru did as well. Not Ryouma. Ryouma's came from unknown means.

But that just means that Ryouma started his journey before those others.

It's not important. And not how the Old Clock Man gives him an odd look every time they meet. He's still a Hunter and he's still a part of the game – to become the greatest Hunter.

And he's still chasing Taiki. And he'd chase him despite where his Xros Loader came from.


	11. Quartzmon VI

**The Head of Quartzmon  
11\. Quartzmon VI**

They're starting to catch on. Those other humans. Those other digimon.

But too late. It's over before they can stop me.

They try. The travellers through time. The Brave Snatcher. The champion.

Of course, I wouldn't let anyone but my little puppet become the champion.

And he does. He takes the Brave Snatcher and, just like I tell him, without him even realising I've stolen all of his will for that one act, he strikes down the hero.

The hero prophesied to end me – can't do it any more.

And now, finally, I can let him go. My puppet slave.


	12. Ryouma VI

**The Head of Quartzmon  
12\. Ryouma VI**

His mind reels. Suddenly he is cast afloat like a floundering fish and he can't understand anything.

But it only takes a few seconds before everything clicks in to place.

He'd been tricked. Psychemon – no, it's not Psychemon, but the enemy them Hunters were meant to fight. That he, the champion, had meant to fight.

He cries as he realises what he's done. Destroyed the only hope they'd had. Destroyed the hero. His mentor. His hope.

_Their _hope. The world's hope.

He wanted to save the world to best Taiki. He had lead it down the path of destruction instead.


	13. Quartzmon VII

**The Head of Quartzmon  
13\. Quartzmon VII**

The boy collapses like a puppet whose strings are cut and I'm free to assimilate the world.

And as I do that, I watch. Watch how another takes the mantle of champion and hero and tries to stand up to me. I watch the boy – my puppet – cry tears of regret and shame. I watch as all the meaningless children try to build a wall against me.

I watch as he stands up and joins that world.

He should know. After how completely I controlled him.

But he still fights against me. He hands over his mantle – and adds hope.


	14. Ryouma VII

**The Head of Quartzmon  
14\. Ryouma VII**

He is torn, but there is a struggle for survival going on and he knows he has to fight in it.

It's not much he can do. But if anyone can get the Brave Snatcher back, it's the boy Taiki's put his faith in: Tagiru. So Ryouma gives him the mantle. And his hope. And stands up with the others because every little bit counts in making that world.

Every little bit _has_ to count, otherwise he's done something irreparable.

And it does. Tagiru does it. Saves the world. Everything returns.

Except Psychemon. Because the Psychemon he'd known…was a lie.


End file.
